Upakkilesa Sutta
From Buddhist Encyclopedia
Three Jewels
Buddha . Dharma . Sangha
Three Dharma Seals
Anicca . Dukkha . Anatta
Karma . Rebirth
Samsara . Nirvana
Four Noble Truths
Seven Sets
Four Frames of Reference
Four Right Exertions
Four Bases of Power
Five Faculties
Five Strengths
Seven Factors of Awakening
Noble Eightfold Path
Bodhisattva
Four Great Vows
Ten Great Vows
- Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
"Monks, there are these four obscurations of the sun and moon, obscured by which the sun and moon don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle. Which four?
"Clouds are an obscuration of the sun and moon, obscured by which the sun and moon don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle.
"Fog is an obscuration...
"Smoke and dust is an obscuration...
"Rahu, the king of the asuras,1 is an obscuration of the sun and moon, obscured by which the sun and moon don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle.
"These are the four obscurations of the sun and moon, obscured by which the sun and moon don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle.
"In the same way, there are four obscurations of contemplatives and brahmans, obscured by which some contemplatives and brahmans don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle. Which four?
"There are some contemplatives and brahmans who drink alcohol and fermented liquor, who don't refrain from drinking alcohol and fermented liquor. This is the first obscuration of contemplatives and brahmans, obscured by which some contemplatives and brahmans don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle.
"There are some contemplatives and brahmans who engage in sexual intercourse, who don't refrain from sexual intercourse. This is the second obscuration of contemplatives and brahmans, obscured by which some contemplatives and brahmans don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle.
"There are some contemplatives and brahmans who consent to gold & silver, who don't refrain from accepting gold & silver. This is the third obscuration of contemplatives and brahmans, obscured by which some contemplatives and brahmans don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle.
"There are some contemplatives and brahmans who maintain life through wrong livelihood, who don't refrain from wrong livelihood. This is the fourth obscuration of contemplatives and brahmans, obscured by which some contemplatives and brahmans don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle.
"These are the four obscurations, obscured by which some contemplatives and brahmans don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle."
Obscured by passion & aversion — some brahmans & contemplatives — people entrenched in ignorance, delighting in endearing forms, drink alcohol & fermented liquor, engage in sexual intercourse, unwise, consent to gold & silver, live by means of wrong livelihood — some brahmans & contemplatives. These are said to be obscurations by the Awakened One, kinsman of the Sun.
Because of these obscurations some brahmans & contemplatives don't glow, don't shine, are impure, dusty, dead.2
Covered with darkness, slaves to craving, led on, they swell the terrible charnel ground, they grab at further becoming.
